Inner Strength
by bornreader
Summary: Set after Emma runs away in 4x07. What if Killian had managed to find Emma? How would that affect the Snow Queen's plans, and more importantly, what would she do to keep him from ruining them again?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I've been getting all kinds of ideas for Once Upon a Time, and I finally decided to try my hand at writing some fanfic. I've been a fanfic writer for years in other fandoms, but I hope my first foray into OUAT is a good one.

As usual, none of the Once Upon a Time characters belong to me.

* * *

Killian traipsed through the woods, moving with more certainty than he had earlier in the day. He and David had spent hours scouring the woods for any sign of Emma, wanting desperately to find her and bring her home. Their search had proved fruitless as they'd found no sign of Emma or her yellow Bug, forcing them to return back to the loft.

Snow had invited Killian to stay for dinner, but he declined saying he would get a bite to eat at Granny's and then go to bed so he could begin his search again at first light. She had given him a smile that was half sympathetic, half grateful. But he hadn't missed the worry in her eyes. They were all worried about Emma because while they knew she could handle herself through the night in the woods, she shouldn't be alone right now.

That thought was what led him to being out in the woods after nightfall. He'd eaten a quick sandwich at Granny's and then headed out again, pausing only to grab a flashlight to assist with his nighttime search. There was no way he was going to let her spend the night in the woods, not when he knew where he would find her.

When he and David had searched the woods earlier, they had split up which had allowed them to cover a lot of ground. There was quite a bit of woods they hadn't been able to search before the sun began to set, but Killian had passed a particular part of the woods that had generated a feeling in his gut. He would've pursued it earlier if he hadn't been on his way to meet up with David. That, and he was certain it would take some time to persuade Emma to come back to town with him.

So here he was now, steadily climbing up a hill as he did his best not to allow the fallen leaves and twigs cause his footing to slip. Even though he didn't have a clear idea where Emma was, he somehow knew she was in the area. He was nearly to the top of the hill when he heard a low rumbling sound. While he hadn't spent much time in this land, he'd been here long enough to recognize it as the idling of an engine.

Killian quickened his steps, knowing that the hours of searching for Emma were about to pay off. Sure enough, once he reached the top of the hill and made a right his flashlight clearly illuminated tire tracks in the ground. They led him through a sparse bit of trees before they opened to a clearing, and there was Emma's yellow Bug glowing like a beacon under the moonlight.

"Emma!" he called, pitching his voice loud enough so she would hear it but soft enough it wouldn't draw unnecessary attention to them. With the Snow Queen still out there somewhere, it wouldn't be smart to attract her to their location. Not when they weren't ready to face her.

Emma wasn't anywhere in sight, and he could only assume she was in the car as the engine continued its idle humming. And sure enough, the door opened and she got out of the car looking in his direction and squinting a bit.

"Killian?"

He realized she was having difficulty seeing him since she was likely only seeing the light the flashlight in his hand was emitting. So he lowered it and walked closer so they were standing face to face. Though he forced himself not to crowd her, knowing that doing so would just make her run in an effort to protect him from her uncontrollable magic.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Killian turned off the flashlight and put it in the back pocket of his jeans. The moonlight was more than enough to allow them to see each other. He gave her a look. "C'mon, Swan. You already know the answer to that."

Her lips set into a frown, worry lines creasing her forehead. "You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should you," he replied easily. "Your family is worried about you, and-"

"And they're safer without me around. At least until I get control of my powers."

"And you're going to do that here? Alone in the woods?" He shot her a doubtful look. "Come back to town with me. We can help you."

Killian reached out his hand, trying to telegraph everything he was thinking and feeling through his eyes. He wasn't afraid of her, and she didn't need to be afraid of hurting him. But she shook her head and took a step back. He knew better than to be hurt by the action, but it still stung.

"I can't risk something else happening." She looked down at her hands, holding them out in front of her like they were dangerous weapons. Then she looked up at him. "I nearly killed you and if it wasn't for my dad…"

Killian sighed, letting his hand drop. "It was an accident, Swan. You weren't trying to hurt anyone, much less kill. I know you're scared, but this isn't the way to deal with this. We can get through this. Together."

Emma didn't look at all convinced. In fact, she looked more vulnerable than he could remember her being. The fear on her face made her look much younger, and it made his protective side rise to the surface. If it was up to her, she would force herself to stay out here and isolate herself for as long as it took until she was sure she was no longer a risk to her family's safety. Something that would allow the Snow Queen quite the advantage, and he wouldn't allow it.

"Emma, please." He took a step forward and reached out for her hand. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. He clasped her hand and then threaded his fingers through hers even as she struggled to pull away.

"Killian, don't," she pleaded, still trying to dislodge his hand. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't," he said confidently and gave a quick yank so she all but fell against his chest. Once there, he released her hand and wrapped his arms around her back, trapping her against his body. She was stiff and resisted at first, but he refused to let go and eventually she relaxed.

He felt the warm puff of air on his skin as she sighed. "How do you do that?" she mumbled into his neck.

"Do what?"

She pulled away from him and this time he let her because she kept her hands locked together behind his neck. Her green eyes bore into his own. "You always know just what to say to make me feel like I'm capable of anything."

Killian stared back at her, his expression firm. "You _are_ capable of anything. I know your magic scares you, but trust me when I tell you being out here alone is not the way to figure out how to control it. That is exactly what the Snow Queen wants."

Emma was silent for a long moment, and she nodded to herself like she knew he was right. Then she completely untangled herself from him, taking a step back. "Maybe instead of learning to control it, I should be looking for a way to get rid of it."

"What?"

"The Snow Queen probably wants me because of my magic - because I'm the Savior. If I no longer have magic, I won't be special anymore and maybe she'll leave me alone."

Killian couldn't stop the rush of anger he felt at her words. Anger not directed at her but at the way she'd grown up so alone and unloved that she felt the only thing that made her special was being the Savior.

"Emma, your magic isn't what makes you special," he said firmly. "Neither is being the Savior. You're special because you're _you_." He paused a moment to let that sink in. "But your magic _is_ part of you, and the sooner you embrace that, the sooner you can regain control over it."

"You really believe that?"

"I've yet to see you fail," he said, repeating words that he'd spoken to her back in Neverland. But they were just as true now as they were then.

She smiled at him and reached for his hand, threading her fingers through his. He couldn't help but smile back, happy that he'd been able to lessen her burden. The fear was still there, hidden behind her smile, but it wasn't controlling her anymore.

"Okay," she said, giving him a little nod. "Let's go home."

Killian grinned. Even though he knew she meant _her_ home, it made his heart swell with hope that she would consider allowing him to become part of it. For now though, he was just happy he could return her to the loft where her parents and son anxiously waited.

* * *

Emma sighed. If it was up to her, they would all continue the relaxing morning they'd all had in the loft rather than be here on an endless search for the Snow Queen. Well, that wasn't quite true. They had all agreed that they needed to find the Snow Queen and stop her before she could enact the shattered sight spell Belle had warned them of. Still, it made her yearn for the peaceful feeling that she'd woke with to return.

When Emma had walked into the loft last night with Killian, she'd been nearly bowled over by Henry who had thrown his arms around her and held on tight. She'd hugged him back just as tightly, doing her best to hold back the rise of her emotions just in case it might lead to some accidental magic. It wasn't a solution, but it was the best she had for right now.

After Henry had finally released her, both of her parents had quickly pulled her in for a hug of their own. All the while they had apologized for reacting the way they had and reassuring her that they would do whatever they could to help. Emma had looked up at Killian and he'd given her a knowing smile. Elsa had looked on the whole scene with a sympathetic smile and said that maybe they could figure out how to control their powers together.

They'd all called it a night early. Killian had tried to duck out after the movie they'd all watched together, but Emma had asked him to stay, feeling more at ease with him there. It'd been a weird feeling, but one that she hadn't had the energy to fight for once. Her father had grudgingly let Killian sleep on the couch, but she had been able to see it was mostly for show. He was slowly growing on her parents, and the fact that he'd brought her back home had won him some major points.

No one in the loft was able to sleep once Neal had woken up early that morning, but Emma hadn't minded so much. Not when she was surrounded in the kitchen by her family, a new friend, and her…well, whatever Killian was to her. She'd nearly managed to forget about the Snow Queen until her father had mentioned they should try again to foil her plans to turn the people in the town against each other. And that was how she'd ended up out in the woods with her dad, Killian, and Elsa.

The group was forced to stop as the path they had been following split off in two different directions. "Which way?" Killian asked.

"We should split up," David said. "We'll cover more ground that way."

Emma wasn't too keen on the idea, but she recognized that it would be much faster for them to pair off to search two paths than have everyone stick together and have to double back later. "Okay," she said with a nod. "Hook, you're with me. Elsa, you're with my dad."

Emma was about to take a step forward toward the path on her right, knowing Killian would be right behind her. But before she could even move, her dad spoke.

"Actually…" he started, his voice hesitant. "I was thinking you could show me where you were last night. The path on the left looks like it leads to the part of the woods we searched yesterday when we were looking for you."

"So then we all should just take the trail to the right," Emma said.

"Well, we don't know the one on the left _doesn't_ lead to the Snow Queen," David replied quickly. "Hook and I weren't exactly focused on her last night. By the looks of things the path on the right probably leads to where Hook found you, and if the Snow Queen was trying to get to you, she'd want to keep you in sight. So there could be signs of her nearby."

Emma frowned, trying to figure out what was going on with her father. She looked to Killian for some help, but he just agreed with David. "Your father's right," Killian said. "The Snow Queen probably _was_ watching you, and there could be tracks that will lead us right to her."

That was exactly what Emma was afraid of. She wasn't convinced that they were ready to face off against the Snow Queen, but she couldn't deny that the idea to search around where she'd hidden herself made sense. The real reason she was hesitating was that she was afraid what would happen if they _did_ find the Snow Queen, particularly if Killian and Elsa were the ones to discover her first. Even though Elsa had magic, Emma was nervous having the two of them go off on their own, especially when neither of them knew how to use a cell phone very well.

"C'mon, Swan, we're burning daylight," Killian said. She looked at him, realizing she'd been silent for too long. His words were light, but she couldn't deny the truth of them. When their eyes met, he gave her a little nod while the look in his eyes spoke volumes. They seemed to say: _I'll be careful, Swan._

"Okay," Emma said at last. "But call if you find her. Don't just go charging in without backup."

Killian gave her another nod. "Same goes for you."

Elsa stepped closer to Emma, offering her a sympathetic smile. "It'll be okay. I have magic, and I won't let her use my fear against me this time."

Emma wanted to explain that it wasn't just Killian she was worried about. Elsa was quickly becoming a friend, and she didn't want anything to happen to her either. But she couldn't deny that the thought of something happening to Killian - of losing him - struck such fear into her heart. It was a big part of why she'd run after blowing a hole through the sheriff's station and knocking over the streetlight.

Emma gave Elsa a weak smile of thanks before stepping towards her dad and addressing the group. "Okay, we'll meet back here in an hour unless we hear from each other before then."

There was no argument and Killian gave her a soft, "See you soon, Swan" before taking the left path with Elsa. Emma watched him go, trying to shake the bad feeling that was beginning to twist her gut. She wasn't able to look away until a hand fell on her shoulder.

"You okay?" her dad asked, his blue eyes worried.

"Yeah," Emma said, and gently stepped out of his grasp. She turned so she was facing the trail. "Let's go."

David fell in step next to her, and Emma forced herself to push all thoughts of Killian and Elsa out of her mind. They would be fine. Neither group would find any sign of the Snow Queen, and they would all abandon their search in favor of getting lunch at Granny's.

Still, Emma couldn't quite shake the feeling that things wouldn't be quite that easy.

* * *

Killian pulled the talking phone - no, cell phone he corrected himself - out of his pocket, hitting the button that would light up the screen like Emma had shown him. The screen displayed no new messages and only showed the time. Only about a half hour had passed since they had split up, but it felt like much longer.

"What are you waiting for?" Elsa asked, stepping carefully over a fallen log in their path. His steps slowed just enough so he could ensure she wouldn't have any trouble. She had to pick up the long train of her blue dress, but she made it over the log easily without getting her dress caught on anything.

"Nothing," Killian said, shoving the phone back into his coat pocket. He was over the log with just one giant step. "Just making sure Emma didn't try calling. From what I can tell, these bloody long range phones aren't reliable."

As astounded as he was by the things this realm had created, he'd overheard Emma complain about her cell phone on more than one occasion. That the battery died or that it lost its signal - something that seemed to happen in the forest more often than not. And it was a thought that kept pushing to the forefront of his mind, feeding into the worry he already had for Emma.

"She will call," Elsa said, breaking through his thoughts. "If she needs to."

Despite Emma's request that he call if they found the Snow Queen, he wasn't certain she would do the same. The only thing that kept his imagination from conjuring up a million terrible scenarios of where the Snow Queen got the best of Emma was the fact that David was with her. There was no way her father would allow her to jump into any kind of attack without some kind of strategy that would ensure none of them ended up victims of the Snow Queen.

Killian spared Elsa a brief glance before quickly returning his attention to the woods around them. They had to keep their eyes peeled for any sign of the Snow Queen. "It's not just that," he said. "I don't want her to feel like she has to protect me. I don't want her worrying about me when I'm more than capable of handling myself."

"Previous incidents prove otherwise," Elsa replied dryly. She glanced over her shoulder at him. "And even if nothing had happened, she'd still be worried. You've come to mean as much to her as she does to you."

Killian stopped, looking at her with mild surprise. Though, he wasn't sure which he was more surprised about. The idea that his feelings for Emma were that transparent when he hadn't even said the words to Emma, or that Emma apparently had the same level of feelings he did. If he was honest, he had to admit it was the latter because while Emma had let him break down some of her walls and he knew she cared for him, the true depth of her feelings were still hidden behind the remaining walls around her heart he'd yet to tear down.

"Emma said that?" he asked.

"She didn't need to." Elsa stepped closer to him, so her voice didn't have to carry as far and risk them being overheard lest the Snow Queen be somewhere nearby. "I may not have known her long, but me and her are more similar than I could've imagined. She hides her feelings because she's afraid of what might happen, especially now with her powers. But the way she responds to you says it all."

Killian opened his mouth to reply, but he stopped, snapping his jaw shut when a sound caught his notice. Elsa started to speak, but she couldn't get more than a syllable out before he cut her off, holding up his hand in silent request to stop talking. As quietly as possible, he unsheathed his sword, his eyes darting through the thick brush surrounding them.

He couldn't hear anything, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. After spending years as a pirate, he'd learned to trust his gut, and he had no doubt the person lurking just out of sight was the Snow Queen. He wanted to reach into his pocket for his phone, but he didn't dare take his hand off his sword.

"Elsa," he murmured, keeping his voice low. He didn't know how close the Snow Queen was, but he hoped by speaking quiet enough it would prevent them from being overheard. "Go find Emma."

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "No. I'm not leaving you here alone," she hissed.

"I'll be fine." She looked at him doubtfully, and he sensed she was about to bring up yet again the previous time he'd ended up on the wrong end of the Snow Queen. "I'm not the one she wants. You are."

"Which makes you all the more expendable," Elsa shot back. "I'm staying."

Killian heard her firm tone and recognized at once that no matter what he said, she wasn't going to leave. "Bloody hell," he muttered to himself. Though, he couldn't help the warm feeling that blossomed in his chest at the show of loyalty. Even if it was more for Emma than him, he appreciated it all the same. It appeared Emma had truly found a friend in Elsa.

His eyes darted around, trying to catch sight of the Snow Queen among the foliage. He couldn't see any sign of her, and the only sound he could hear was the wind rustling the leaves on the trees. It didn't fool him though.

"We know you're here," he called, turning his head as he continued to scan the area. "So you might as well come out."

Elsa shot him a dirty look. She was likely thinking he was stupid for forcing their foe to make a move when they had no guaranteed plan of success in subduing her, but he'd much rather an attack happen when he was ready for it rather than to be caught off guard later. Still, there was no movement from the woods surrounding them.

"Or are you so afraid you have to hide?" he taunted. It was reckless, but he was betting it would get a response out of the Snow Queen. And he wasn't disappointed.

"Afraid?" the soft voice said behind him. Killian spun on his heel along with Elsa to face the Snow Queen. "Of you? Please. You and your sword are no match for my magic."

"He has more than that with him," Elsa said, clenching her fists at her side. "And I'm not afraid this time."

The Snow Queen looked at her with that soft expression that seemed reserved for Elsa and Emma. "You're not going to hurt me."

Elsa boldly took a step forward. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because you want answers about your sister. Answers only I can provide." Killian glanced at Elsa and saw the way she tensed at the mention of Anna. The Snow Queen continued, "I am sorry though."

"For what?" Elsa asked, confusion evident. Though, there was also some wariness.

"For this," the Snow Queen said, and with a wave of her hand, a gust of icy wind whipped past Killian and carried Elsa off her feet. It only lasted for a moment as Elsa got slammed into a nearby tree, and she crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

It happened too fast for Killian to even try to stop it. But as soon he saw Elsa go flying, he raised his sword, prepared to lunge at the Snow Queen. He wasn't even able to take a step though before the Snow Queen sent a burst of icy magic at his hand, forcing him to drop his sword. He looked down at his hand, noting the angry red color and how bending his fingers sent shooting pain up his arm.

Then, before he could even react, both of his arms were jerked to his sides as icy cold chains wrapped around him. The suddenness of it caught him by surprise, and he might have lost his balance if it wasn't for the fact that his boots were frozen to the ground. He didn't have to look down to know it; the cold that encased his feet up to his knees was proof enough.

Despite the chains and the lack of dangerous icicles overhead, this scenario was quite familiar. It didn't take a genius to know what the Snow Queen was up to, and Killian was no idiot.

"If you think killing me will make it easier for you to get to Emma, you're wrong," he said. "All this will do will drive her further away."

The Snow Queen looked at him in amusement. "You seem pretty confident in her feelings for you."

"I know she won't stand for you killing anyone." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Something I would've thought you'd know."

"Oh I do, and I never said I was going to kill you." The Snow Queen began slowly walking around him. "But you have gotten in the way of my plans for Emma."

Killian turned his head - the only thing he could actually move - as he tried to follow her movements. "What plans?"

The Snow Queen came to a stop in front of him. "That's my business, and something you won't have to worry about anymore."

Killian frowned. No matter what she did to him, it wouldn't stop him from worrying about Emma and the Snow Queen's intentions for her. The fact that the Snow Queen seemed confident he wouldn't be concerned told him she didn't know him as well as she thought she did...or she was lying about not killing him. Because short of death, he couldn't think of anything that would prevent him from doing his best to help Emma rid the town of this ice witch.

All he could do was watch as the Snow Queen conjured up her magic, it appearing like snow in the palm of her hand. She mumbled some words that he wasn't able to catch, but he tensed, sensing they were to activate some kind of spell. He tried to struggle against the chains, but he was bound so tightly there was no chance of him escaping.

The Snow Queen lifted her hand so the snow she'd conjured was eye level. "Enjoy your reprieve, Captain," she said and then blew on the pile of snow which at once turned to powder before hitting him square in the face.

Instinctively he closed his eyes against the onslaught of magic, but it didn't make it any less effective. His whole body tingled, and when he opened his eyes he found his vision was limited and quickly growing darker. He stumbled and fell to his knees, his legs suddenly too weak to support him and the ice no longer keeping his feet rooted to the ground. His chest was tight, and the small sliver of the world he could still see spun dizzily. The sensations were too much, and the last thing he remembered before the world went black was falling backwards into the snow beneath him.

* * *

Emma checked her phone again for what felt like the millionth time. She and David had arrived back at the spot where they had split from Elsa and Killian. Her stomach had dropped when they found that the pair hadn't returned yet, though they'd still had ten minutes until the hour was up. Emma hadn't wanted to walk far and risk not turning back with enough time to meet back up with Killian and Elsa. Hence why she and David had been so early.

Now though, it was ten minutes after the time they'd agreed to meet, and Emma couldn't deny her feelings of dread any longer. She looked at her dad and said, "Something must've happened to them."

"Let's give them a few more minutes. They probably just walked farther than we did and it's taking them longer to get back."

Emma shook her head. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Killian would've been just as anxious to reunite as she was, and he certainly wouldn't do anything that would delay him and Elsa returning knowing it would worry her. "I don't think so."

"Give them five more minutes. If they're not back, we'll go looking for them, okay?" her dad suggested.

Emma sighed, but she resigned herself to waiting five more minutes. That didn't mean she wasn't going to take advantage of that time to release some of her frustration on her dad though. "It was your idea to split up," she said. "I assumed because you wanted to talk to me, but then you barely said anything."

She watched her father's face, seeing the surprised expression on his face and how it quickly morphed to a sheepish one. "I'm sorry, Emma," he said. "You're right. I did - _do_ \- want to talk to you. I'm just afraid of saying the wrong thing."

Emma couldn't help but sigh again, this one more of an exhausted noise. Despite all the progress she'd made with her parents lately, they still had a ways to go before both sides were completely comfortable and open. And what'd happened the other day with her magic seemed to have taken them back a step.

"Just say what you want to say, Dad."

David nodded, straightening his back as he looked her in the eye. "We're sorry, Emma. We didn't respond well the other day. Your mother especially is beside herself with how she acted." He stepped closer to her, holding her gaze. "We're not afraid of you."

"But you're afraid of my powers," Emma said, reading between the lines.

He hesitated, and she wondered for a second if he was going to try to lie to her. So she was relieved when he admitted, "A little." He quickly rushed on though. "But I promise, Emma, we're not afraid of you. We know you would never hurt us. Not intentionally. It's just going to take some time for you to learn to control your powers, and we want to help with that in whatever way we can. Whatever you will allow."

Emma could tell he was sincere and knew that her parents truly did want to help her. Though, she could also see the fear that lurked behind his kind expression. He may not be afraid of her, but her powers did make him uneasy.

"You don't want me to find a way to get rid of them?" she asked. Even in spite of what Killian had told her the other night about her powers being a part of her, she couldn't deny that things would be much easier without them.

David shook his head. "Emma, the last thing we want is for you to change who you are. Because who you are is a fierce, strong, amazing woman, and we're so lucky to have you as our daughter."

All Emma could see on David's face now was love and pride, and his words made her misty-eyed. Sometimes it was still an adjustment having so many people who cared for her - having _parents_ who loved her and wanted the best for her. It made her previous guilt for running after the accident with her magic rear its head again. How could she fault them for their fear when she felt it just as strongly, if not more so?

"Thanks, Dad," she said, quietly.

He smiled at her, and just like that, all the previous tension between them was gone. But with that out of the way, her worry took over once more. She glanced at the time on her cell phone, confirming what she already knew. Time was up, and Killian and Elsa hadn't returned.

She raised her gaze to David, and he nodded at her. "Alright, let's backtrack and see if we can find them. We'll probably run into them on the trail."

Emma knew he was trying to keep her positive and to have hope that they were fine, but she hadn't been able to shake the feeling that something had happened. It was the only thing she could think of that would keep Killian from returning to her.

Without a word, she turned and headed down the path Killian and Elsa had followed earlier. Everything in her wanted to run so she could find them faster, but she forced herself to settle for a brisk walking pace. She didn't want to risk missing something because she was moving too fast. It helped that she had another pair of eyes too as she knew without looking behind her that her dad was following her closely on alert and prepared for anything even in spite of his earlier assurances.

They followed the trail and with every foot further they ventured, the more Emma's bad feeling intensified. Then suddenly a soft noise caught her attention. Emma stopped in her tracks to listen for it, and her dad did the same next to her.

Someone was crying, which was odd by itself. But the pitch of it made Emma think it was a child. What the hell would a kid be doing out in the middle of the woods? Her mind flashed back to an old folklore book she'd read out of boredom in school about how certain mythical creatures would set traps for people, luring them in with the sounds of a child in distress. She'd never believed it, but she'd also never believed fairy tales were true either and look how that'd turned out.

"It's coming from over there," David said, gesturing off the path to the right. He released his gun from the holster at his hip, flipping the safety off as he cautiously moved forward. Emma was right behind him.

When they crested a small hill, the trees opened up and they were able to see a little boy sitting with his knees pulled to his chest in front of a tree. He was the source of the crying, and Emma glanced around, looking for any sign of the Snow Queen or anyone else. That was when she spotted Elsa nearby on the ground.

She quickly made it over to her side, leaving her dad to handle the little boy. Elsa was already moving by the time Emma got her, slowly coming around. Because Elsa was lying on her side, Emma could see the bump on her forehead just below her hairline. It seemed that whatever had happened had involved Elsa getting knocked out, likely by the large tree they were in front of. But what did happen? And where was Killian?

"Elsa, are you okay?" Emma asked, hoping her voice would help Elsa clear the cobwebs and focus more.

Elsa blinked and slowly began pushing herself upright, a hand going to the bump on her head. "Yeah, I think so."

Emma felt a little bit of relief at hearing that. Though, there was still a coil of anxiety in her stomach that was reserved for Killian. Before she could ask Elsa about him though, her father's voice drew her attention to him.

"Emma?" he called. "You better come over here."

Emma gave Elsa a hand, helping her to her feet. Then the two of them made their way to the other side of the trail only for Emma to stop abruptly when they came upon a sword laying in the snow. A sword she recognized at once as Killian's. Elsa stepped ahead of her and bent down to retrieve something. That was when Emma noticed a pair of black boots and jeans in a pile.

"These are Killian's, right?" Elsa said, holding out her hand to Emma. Emma's heart dropped further when she recognized the rings that normally adorned Killian's hand.

"Emma," David called again, glancing over his shoulder at them anxiously.

Emma nodded as she accepted the rings from Elsa, pocketing them for safekeeping. All the while she could feel her heart pound with fear, her mind racing as she wondered what happened to Killian. But she forced herself to move forward and see what David needed from her.

Her footsteps crunched the snow, and David turned at the sound. He was kneeling in front of the boy, but he got to his feet and stepped back clearly wanting Emma to see the boy for herself. When she finally got a clear view of him, she understood why.

The boy was younger than Henry had been when he'd first showed up at her door years ago. He couldn't be more than seven. His knees were still pulled to his chest with his arms wrapped around them tightly, but his head wasn't buried in them anymore. Instead, she saw the boy's youthful face looking back at her. His dark hair and pale skin made his big blue eyes pop - eyes that while filled with tears, she would recognize anywhere. And it was only then that she realized the boy was wearing a gray long sleeve t-shirt and an oh-so-familiar black leather jacket that were miles too big on him.

"Killian," she breathed, staring at him in shock.

Killian, her over 200 year old pirate, had been turned into a little boy. One that, if the way he was still curled into himself was any indication, had no memory of her or the rest of them. There was only one explanation for who did this - the Snow Queen. But the how and why was a mystery.

 _Oh, Killian_ , Emma thought. _What did you get yourself into?_


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I want to apologize for the super long delay with this chapter. It's actually been done for over a month, but there's been a lot going on (and I've actually got a couple of different stories I'm working on). I am determined to keep my promise though - this story will not be left unfinished. And hopefully now that I've started watching the show over again, it'll help feed my muse and I can make the updates more regular.

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and/or followed/marked the story as a favorite! I love hearing from you guys so please keep it coming :)

* * *

Emma stood rooted to the spot, still staring at the child version of her boyfriend. But Killian frowned at her, confusion and wariness in his eyes. It wasn't a look she was used to seeing from Killian, particularly not directed towards her.

"How do you know my name?" he asked, his voice small and quiet. Emma took a breath, her mind racing as she wondered how she could even begin to explain only for him to interrupt her thoughts with another question. "Where's Liam?"

That question hit her like a physical blow, her heart clenching as she watched various emotions play out on Killian's face. He was terrified, but for the first time she realized the fear wasn't just for him but for Liam. Killian had clearly expected his brother would be nearby and the fact that he wasn't distressed him greatly. What hurt Emma even more was to see the distrust in his gaze, and she could tell without him saying a word that he was wondering if they had somehow taken Liam away from him.

Killian stared at her, and Emma averted her eyes. She wasn't sure what to tell him. Did she tell him the truth that his brother was dead and had been that way for a long time? Or did she try to come up with some kind of a lie? Neither option was ideal, and she had no idea which one would cause the least amount of damage. Though, would it cause any damage if they could figure out how to reverse this spell and return Killian to his rightful age? Damn, this was making her head hurt.

"We don't know," David said at last, crouching down so he was almost eye level with Killian. "But I promise we're not going to hurt you. All we want to do is help."

Killian was silent for a long moment, and Emma saw the way he watched her father, like he was trying to determine if he could truly trust him or not. "What about my brother Liam? Will we find him?"

David hesitated, though Emma was impressed with the way he managed to keep his face neutral. Killian hadn't told Emma much about his childhood, but she knew that Liam had taken care of him after their father had abandoned them. Such a traumatic event had obviously made the brothers close, which made this so hard.

While the two of them struggled to decide, Elsa came up on the other side of Emma speaking softly to Killian. "I'm Elsa," she said. "My sister is missing too, and they," she gestured to Emma and David, "are helping me look for her. I'm sure they can help you too."

Killian's gaze moved from Elsa to Emma, and she felt herself freeze when his blue eyes locked with hers. She was so used to the intense way they watched her, the way they'd always seemed to be able to see straight through her and know just what she was thinking. He was good at reading people, and as those blue eyes stared at her she wondered if it was an ability he'd somehow always had or if he'd just picked it up through his two hundred some years.

"You know where Liam is, don't you?" he accused. "It would explain why you know my name. He told you." Something else seemed to occur to Killian as he sat up straight, lowering his hands to his side for the first time since they'd approached him. "He's probably looking for me!"

He struggled to his feet, and Emma winced seeing his bare feet in the snow. But Killian didn't seem to even register the cold, or else he was determined to ignore it in favor of getting to Liam. Something they couldn't allow. It was much too dangerous for him to go off alone, and she would be damned if she'd let him slip away from them.

Her dad must've had the same thought because he reached out and grabbed onto Killian's shoulder. "Killian, wait-" he started, but Killian jerked out of his grasp.

"I have to find Liam."

"He's not here," Emma said.

Killian turned to look at her. "How do you know that?" He looked at her with accusing eyes. "You know where he is!"

"No. Not exactly." The suspicion didn't lessen in Killian's eyes, and she sighed. She moved to crouch down in front of him. "There's something you need to know that will help you understand."

Killian held her gaze, a seriousness on his face that looked out of place for someone so young. It was one she recognized though, knowing that she'd had a similar one on her face most of her childhood as she was bounced around foster homes. The face was guarded and spoke of distrust, but the eyes conveyed the loneliness and the abandonment. Killian had seen it in her right away the first day they'd met, and she wondered how she hadn't been able to see that same look reflected back at her.

Knowing that the best way to get him to trust her was to not treat him like the kid he was. That meant telling him the truth, even if it was hard for him to hear. She took a breath to center herself and then began, "You're not in the Enchanted Forest…"

"Emma," her dad cut in, a warning in his voice. She understood that he was worried Killian would freak out if they told him the truth, but right now they needed to get out of there and figure out this mess where the Snow Queen wasn't lurking around. And the only way she was going to be able to get Killian to abandon his search for Liam and leave with them was to tell him the truth. Or at least enough to make him understand the situation.

"Then where am I?" Killian asked. He was staring at her intently.

"Storybrooke. This world normally doesn't have magic, but this town is special," Emma explained. She hoped that if she didn't get into too much detail that this would somehow be both easier to explain and easier for him to accept. "That's what happened to you."

"Magic brought me here?" And just like before thoughts of Liam quickly prompted another question. "Did it bring Liam too?"

Emma shook her head. "No, it didn't," she said softly. Even though the kid in front of her was her boyfriend just de-aged, he didn't remember anything he'd already gone through. It seemed likely that not a lot of time had passed since his father had abandoned him, and here she was telling him that the one person he'd felt he could depend on was gone. "It made you younger."

Confusion clouded Killian's features. "No, it didn't."

Emma's chest seized. This was too hard. How was she supposed to explain all of this to him? She knew she had started down this path and had to finish, but she didn't want to say the wrong thing and give him a reason to run from them. She tilted her head up to look at her dad, silently pleading for help.

He held her gaze for a second, and she started to think he wasn't going to help her. That he was leaving this in her hands since he hadn't wanted to tell Killian the truth to begin with, and she hadn't headed his warning. But then David offered her a nod before he got down beside her, one knee in the snow for balance as he looked at Killian.

"I know you don't remember," David started gently, "but you grew up. You're not a kid anymore and haven't been for a long time. You were trying to help us find someone bad, and she did this to you."

"Why?"

For such a seemingly simple question, it was a loaded one. Her thoughts went to the obvious question of why would the Snow Queen de-age him? She had seemed content to kill him just days earlier, so why would she change her plans? Emma wasn't entirely sure, but she did know it had to do with her and the relationship she had with Killian.

Elsa started to speak, like she was going to maybe give some insight on what'd happened when the Snow Queen had shown up. But David quickly cut her off.

"The why doesn't matter," he said, looking Killian in the eye. "All that matters is you know that we'll find a way to reverse her spell and make sure she doesn't hurt anyone else."

Even though he hadn't looked away from Killian for a second, Emma got the impression that David's words had been for her benefit just as much as his. It didn't surprise her since her parents were known for never giving up hope and always believing good would win, but it was doing little to comfort her at the moment. She wouldn't feel better until they could figure out how the Snow Queen had turned Killian into a child and knew how to change him back. Something they couldn't start on until they got back to town, which she was more than anxious to do.

"I know you probably still have a lot of questions," Emma told Killian, pulling his attention away from her dad, "and I promise I'll answer as many as I can. But right now we need to get out of here before she comes back."

"Will she hurt me again?" Killian asked, sounding more curious than afraid. Though, she could tell the fear was still there.

"No," Emma said firmly. "I have magic and I'll do whatever I have to in order to protect you."

Elsa stepped up next to her. "Me too." She looked down at Killian with an apologetic expression. "She caught me off guard last time, but that won't happen again."

Killian looked around at all of them and slowly nodded. "Okay," he said quietly.

Emma frowned at the lack of reaction. She'd figured he would've put up more of a fight or demand they tell him everything when they got out of the cold, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. The sooner they got back to the loft, the better.

She was going to tell Killian to let David carry him since he didn't have any shoes on. He was just wearing the long sleeve t-shirt and the black leather jacket, neither of which could be very warm when he was missing pants and shoes. But as it turned out, she didn't need to say anything because as soon as Killian took a step, his legs buckled.

"Killian!" Emma cried, unable to censor herself in her panic.

She was close to where he was, but not enough to catch him in time. Thankfully though, David was. Her father's quick reflexes allowed him to catch Killian before he could face plant into the snow. Killian for his part leaned heavily into David, and he offered no protest as her father lifted him up into his arms, resting him against his chest.

"Emma, we have to go," David said. There was a note of urgency in his voice that put her on edge, and she stepped closer to him and Killian. The first thing she noticed was that his eyes were half closed, and his breaths were slow puffs of air. Then she reached out and put a hand against his cheek, jerking it back a second later as if she'd been burned.

"He's so cold," she said.

Elsa noticed the same things she did because she said to Emma, "Just like you were when I trapped us in that ice cavern."

Emma swallowed, but it was just the thing that snapped her into action. "Okay, let's go. Quickly but carefully."

She was worried not only about them tripping and breaking their necks in their haste to get back to town, but she was worried about the Snow Queen. It was impossible to say what her plan was or if she was somewhere nearby watching them, but if she knew what was good for her she'd stay out of their way.

Nothing was going to stop Emma when she was on a mission, and her first priority was getting Killian warm. Then she would figure out how to get her pirate back.

* * *

David would've burst through the door to the loft if he hadn't been worried that Neal was sleeping. As it was, he slowed his pace after rushing up the steps and quietly opened the door. Though he did go straight for the bedroom, knowing they had to get Killian warm and the first step to doing that was to get him out of his wet clothes.

Mary Margaret was putting away laundry when he entered, and she turned to look at him, clearly alarmed by his quick footsteps. Then her eyes widened as she caught sight of the boy in his arms.

"What happened?" she asked. David gently deposited the boy on the bed and went in search of an old sweatshirt of his. Even though his back was turned, he heard Mary Margaret's gasp of surprise. "Is that Hook?"

He closed the drawer, sweatshirt in hand and turned around in time to see Killian wrap his arms tight around his body as the boy corrected Snow. "I'm Killian," he mumbled.

Mary Margaret looked at David with wide eyes, and he could tell she had a million questions. He would do his best to answer them all, but right now all he was concerned about was getting Killian's body temperature back up. It didn't take her long to realize the same as it was clear from the boy's shivering that he was freezing.

"I'll make some cocoa," she said, leaving them alone in the bedroom.

David went over to Killian and crouched down in front of him. "Killian," he said and waited until the boy looked at him before he continued, "c'mon, I've got something you can change into for now."

Killian was sluggish to respond, and his movements were slower than David liked. He got the feeling that if this was his son, he would just dress him. But this was his daughter's boyfriend – or at least he had been until a couple hours ago – and he was sure Killian wouldn't appreciate having someone else dress him. That was if he even remembered once they got this whole thing sorted out and him back to normal.

When Killian was on his feet, David helped strip him of the soaked leather jacket and then turned around to offer him some privacy while he swapped out shirts. He heard the sound of the wet shirt hit the floor and a few seconds later Killian gave him the quiet okay that indicated he was finished.

"Let's get you on the couch with some blankets," David said and gently steered him out into the living room.

He got Killian settled on the couch, grabbing the blanket that was draped over the back and tucking it around him. Before he could even turn around to go get more, a bundle of blankets was held out to him by Elsa. He offered her a smile of thanks and began piling them on. When he finished, Killian was barely visible under the mound of blankets.

"Will you sit with him a bit? I'm going to see how Mary Margaret's coming with that cocoa," David said.

"Of course," Elsa agreed, taking a seat at the end of the couch near Killian's feet.

David went into the kitchen where Mary Margaret was preparing the mugs for the milk that was simmering on the stove. She looked up as he got closer and she asked, "The Snow Queen?"

"Yeah," David sighed. "We don't know exactly what happened, but we split up to check two different paths and Emma and I found him like that. And Elsa knocked out."

"Where is Emma?"

"She was going to get him some clothes. We're not sure how long it'll be before we can reverse this."

Mary Margaret was silent, her eyes going to the couch where Killian was bundled up. David looked at him too, still feeling just as gobsmacked as when he'd first found him in the woods. Even with the way Hook – _Killian_ – had been working on changing, it was hard to relate the cocky pirate to the vulnerable little boy. The sight of those scared blue eyes brought a protectiveness to the surface he was only used to feeling with his children and wife. He was attributing it to the parental instinct to protect a child from harm, especially when it was apparent he'd already experienced quite a lot of pain.

"And he doesn't remember anything?" Mary Margaret asked, finally looking away from him and returning to finishing the cocoa.

David shook his head. "He kept asking for Liam."

She sighed, one that spoke of sympathy as she put a dollop of whipped cream on top of each mug of cocoa. "That poor thing."

David nodded. He'd known Liam had died of dreamshade poisoning, but he didn't know the particulars. He didn't know much about Killian's childhood or what his relationship with his brother was truly like, but from what he'd seen so far, he'd been very close to Liam. It was a realization that made him all the more reluctant to tell Killian anything more than what Emma had already told him.

As if his thoughts had summoned her, the door to the loft opened and Emma walked in a with a large bag of clothes in her hands. She was flushed like she'd been rushing, but David wouldn't have expected anything less knowing that she wouldn't want to leave Killian out of her sight any longer than absolutely necessary. She glanced over at him and Mary Margaret, giving them a brief nod before making a beeline for the couch.

"How's he doing?" she asked Elsa, her voice soft.

"Okay. He doesn't look as cold."

Emma frowned, but it didn't last long as Killian mumbled, "I'm right here" and her lips turned upward in amusement. Though, the good humor was fleeting as she knelt on the floor in front of Killian.

"I have some clothes for you if you're feeling up to changing," she said. There was a long pause, and David sensed Killian was reluctant to leave the cocoon of blankets they'd created for him. Emma seemed to realize this too because she added, "You'll be warmer."

There was a moment of hesitation, and for a second David thought Killian was going to refuse. But then Killian lifted his head to look Emma in the eye and nodded. "Okay."

As Killian slowly pushed himself upright and pushed away the numerous blankets covering him, Emma dug through the plastic bag for some clothes. She stood up with an outfit in hand and stepped out of Killian's way so he could get to his feet, which he did looking a bit shakier than David was happy with. He stayed on his feet though and took the clothes from Emma.

"The bathroom's just over there," she said, pointing to a door next to the small kitchen where David was still standing with Mary Margaret. "You can even take a hot shower. That'll help warm you up."

Killian's brow furrowed. "What's a shower?"

Emma looked surprised for a split second before she sighed, shaking her head. David couldn't help but sympathize with her because they had all spent time teaching Hook about all the modern convenience's this world had and now they'd have to go through it all again. At least until they could return him to his rightful age and hopefully with all his previous memories intact.

"C'mon, I'll show you," Emma said.

She tossed the bag she'd still been holding onto the nearby chair before leading Killian to the bathroom. He followed her inside, and with the open door David was able to hear Emma explaining to him how to work the shower. Then he heard the water turn on, and Emma came out a second later, pulling the door shut behind her.

"You okay?" Mary Margaret asked. She'd finished making the cocoa and had been watching things play out between Killian and Emma just like he had.

Emma released a heavy sigh, pushing herself away from the bathroom door. She joined them in the kitchen, sliding onto a barstool and pulling a mug of cocoa towards her. "Yeah. It's just hard. I don't know what to say to him...about _anything_ , and I have no idea how to help him."

"That's not true," David said. "We'll talk to Gold and Regina. One of them should know a way to counter whatever spell the Snow Queen used on him."

"Right," Emma snorted. "Considering Hook is Gold's sworn enemy, I don't see him bending over backwards to help us. And Regina isn't exactly a fan of his either."

"Maybe, but they both have motivation to help us. Besides, Gold gave Killian his hand back, right?" Mary Margaret countered.

Emma said nothing, but her hand clenched the mug tighter. David could practically see the storm of emotions threatening to take over, and it made her look so tired. "What if it can only be reversed by the Snow Queen?" she asked quietly.

"Then we'll find her and make her reverse it," David replied confidently.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Because she's been so easy to find," she said sarcastically.

Sadly, it was true. They'd wasted so much time trying to find the Snow Queen and only succeeded when she'd wanted them to - when she'd wanted them to catch her. All so she could get close to Emma and manipulate her emotions. Something that wouldn't be quite so easy to do this time. There was something about this whole thing that didn't add up though.

"Why did she de-age Hook? Why not just take him?" he asked. "Surely, she had to know kidnapping him and threatening you with his life would make you confront her. Or any of us for that matter."

"So why did she focus on him? I'm closer to you guys, and Henry." She shook her head then. "If she'd taken Henry…" her voice trailed off, but David could hear the promise of hurt in it loud and clear.

"It's because Killian has given you something that your family can't," Elsa said. Emma spun on the barstool to look at her while he and Mary Margaret turned their attention on her. Elsa didn't so much as look their way though, her gaze solely focused on Emma. "A romantic relationship."

"Yeah, but-" Emma started to object only to have Elsa cut her off.

"I know feelings haven't been vocalized, but it's quite obvious the two of you care for each other. And she's trying to use those feelings against you."

"But why? To make me work with her?" Elsa shrugged, and Emma continued. "Like my dad said, why wouldn't she just kidnap him then?"

Elsa was silent for a moment, and David could hear the shower still running in the bathroom. Finally she said, "Maybe she thinks this would be more painful. To have him around but you're not able to be with him. Not like you were."

Emma frowned, and David wished - not for the first time - that he knew what she was thinking. Sadly, there was still so much about her they didn't know, and while they were working on that, she had been particularly quiet about her relationship with Hook. It was obvious what they had went beyond just attraction, but he had no clue how deep their feelings went for each other. At least not with Emma. Hook, on the other hand, had made it clear that he definitely felt quite strongly about her, and David was sure that if he wasn't already in love with Emma, he would be soon enough. That is if they could get him back to normal.

After struggling to come up with something to say, Emma finally opened her mouth only to quickly shut it when the bathroom door opened. Their heads all turned to see Killian step out dressed in sweatpants and a sweatshirt that actually fit him with the small amount of skin that was visible tinged pink from the hot water of the shower. When he realized he had everyone's attention, he lowered his head as the coloring in his cheeks grew darker.

"Feel better?" Mary Margaret asked.

Killian nodded, refusing to lift his eyes from the floor. Again, David was having trouble relating this shy, awkward boy in front of them to the villainous pirate who'd turned over a new leaf. This was a side of him David had never seen before, and he wasn't entirely sure how to act.

Mary Margaret didn't seem to have that problem as she seemed intent on mothering the young boy in front of them, even knowing that he was really a two hundred year old pirate. "I made some cocoa if you want some."

Killian lifted his head to look her in the eye, but it was just long enough for him to say "No thank you" before he lowered his gaze again. They all exchanged unsure glances, but it was Emma who took charge.

"C'mon, let's get you back under those covers. I bet you're still cold," she said.

David was certain she was remembering how cold she'd been after they'd pulled her from that ice cavern. Even with a hot shower (once the power had come back on), it'd taken a couple hours for every last bit of cold to be removed from her bones. He watched as she gently took Killian's hand and pulled him over to the couch. She released him to pull back the blankets, waiting until he laid down on the couch to cover him. Once he was settled, she began to step away when Killian's hand shot out and grabbed onto her wrist.

"Will you stay? Please?" Then he quickly added as if he suspected she would refuse, "Just for a little bit."

Killian may actually be a two hundred year old pirate, but right now he was a young boy who was scared, alone, and in desperate need of comfort. Emma glanced their way, and David frowned at the sadness he saw in her eyes. But she quickly looked back down at Killian and said, "Okay."

Killian released his grip, and she settled on the floor next to the couch, sitting sideways so she could lean her left side against the couch. His blue eyes watched her, and David got the feeling Killian was latching onto Emma because he saw something in her that was familiar to him. Whether that was because some part of his soul recognized her as someone important to him, or if it was because he sensed she had some understanding of what he was going through.

Emma stared back at Killian, and it looked like she was reassuring him without saying a word because he relaxed marginally into the couch cushions. Then Emma lifted her hand and began to run it through Killian's hair, brushing it away from his eyes since it laid flat now rather than the more upright style it'd had as an adult. With the soothing motion, it didn't take long for Killian to fall asleep even in spite of his attempts to fight it.

"I think you were right, Elsa," Mary Margaret murmured.

David tore his gaze away from his daughter to see his wife and Elsa were openly watching the scene play out in the living room. When he looked back at Emma, who had removed her hand from Killian's head and was now sitting with her shoulders slumped and knees pulled to her chest, he had to agree. Not that he'd had any doubt as he'd seen the hurt in her expression the moment she'd looked at Killian in the woods, realizing that the Snow Queen had gotten to him.

He was going to ask if he should call Gold or Regina to see if they could come over when Emma suddenly got to her feet, moving swiftly to the door without a word. "Emma," he said, raising his voice enough that it carried across the loft but hopefully not enough that it woke Killian.

She stopped at the door and turned back around, sighing. "I'll be back. I'm going to call Regina and tell her to meet me at Gold's."

"I'll come with you," he said.

"No," Emma replied quickly. "I mean, thanks, but I need you to meet Henry at school. I said I'd walk him home, and I don't want him out on his own right now."

"Okay, but-"

Emma didn't give him time to finish his objection. She gave him a quick thanks, said she'd see him later, and then disappeared out the door. David was left staring at the door and turned back to his wife, who looked at him sympathetically but shrugged.

"We need to give her a little space. She's obviously upset," she said.

David sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I get that, but I don't want her to be alone right now. For the same reasons she doesn't want Henry to be."

"I'll go with her," Elsa offered.

"That would be great," Mary Margaret said. "Thanks, Elsa."

David nodded in agreement even though everything in him wanted to be the one to go after Emma and make sure he was okay. He recognized that this situation with Killian was likely one she didn't want to talk to her parents about - at least not when it came to talking about her feelings regarding him and their relationship. Things he was pretty sure she hadn't even shared with Killian yet.

"I hope for everyone's sake that Gold or Regina can come up with a solution," Mary Margaret said after the door shut behind Elsa and they were left alone in the loft with not just one sleeping child but two.

David couldn't help but agree. He was especially concerned about Emma and how she would handle it if they couldn't return Killian to his rightful age quickly. Something told him though that this wouldn't be easy by any means.


	3. Chapter 3

_I'm so so sorry for the super long wait on this everyone! I do appreciate the reviews I've gotten on this story as well as all the follows/favorites. I love hearing what you guys think and that so many people have given this story a chance. I haven't abandoned it - not by a long shot. My writing just fell off there for a while, but I'm working to get back into it. I can't say when the next chapter will be, but I'm certain it won't take 6+ months again._

 _Thank you all so very much! Hope you enjoy! Feel free to leave a review if you want - I love hearing from you guys :)_

* * *

Emma hung up the phone with a sigh. She'd tried getting a hold of Regina, but she'd gotten her voicemail instead and was forced to leave a message. It'd been a short one that asked that Regina call her back as they had a new problem with the Snow Queen. There was no point in telling her to meet her at Gold's because there was no telling when Regina would check her messages and in all likelihood, Emma wouldn't be there when she returned her call.

"Emma!" Elsa's voice called from behind her.

Emma sighed, but she turned around to face her newest friend. She'd known her sudden departure of the loft would cause concern so she wasn't at all surprised she'd been followed. Though, she hadn't been expecting Elsa. Not that she was interested in talking to her. She didn't want to talk to anyone.

"Elsa…"

"I know you don't want to talk," Elsa interrupted. "But running away isn't going to make things easier."

Emma's eyes widened. "I'm not running away," she objected. "I'm trying to fix it."

"I know," Elsa said, nodding. "But I also know you're hiding. You're trying to put distance between you and Killian."

"All I'm trying to do is find a way to return him to who he is," Emma replied. Though, there was a small part of her that knew Elsa was right. It was so hard to see Killian as a vulnerable young boy, and it made her miss him - the man he was - all the more.

Elsa frowned, and Emma knew she didn't believe her. But she had zero interest in continuing this conversation. They were wasting time.

Without a word, Emma turned and began to move swiftly down Main Street. She didn't have to look behind her to know that Elsa was following her. And thanks to her quick pace, she reached Gold's shop in a matter of minutes.

She walked inside, the chime above the door announcing her presence. Gold barely glanced up at her, his attention fixated on polishing a mantle clock. "Miss Swan," he said with a sigh. "What brings you to my shop today?"

"We have a problem," she said, stopping a few feet away from the counter where he was working. She didn't want to get in his way, particularly since she would be asking him to help one of his most hated enemies. Pissing him off before she could even explain the situation and ask for his help would be a bad move.

" _You_ may have a problem. That doesn't mean I do," Gold replied. He looked up at her briefly as he said, "The only problem I do have is people coming into my shop constantly, even if the closed sign is on the door."

Emma glanced behind her, looking past Elsa to the shop's door. She'd had such tunnel vision that she hadn't even noticed the sign. Though, she hardly felt bad about it. They all needed to know what the Snow Queen was capable of so they could be more on guard.

"Sorry about that, but we need your help." Gold didn't look at her this time; he just kept right on polishing the clock. "Do you know how to return someone to their rightful age?"

Just then Belle came from the back room. "Emma," she said in surprise. Then her brow furrowed, picking up instantly on the serious mood. "What's going on?"

Emma was glad to have someone else to focus her attention on. She knew how Gold was going to react to the idea of helping Killian, and she hadn't wanted to see the look on his face when she told him. Belle would be more understanding, and - more importantly - she would force Gold to put aside his hatred and help.

So she took a breath and looked right at Belle. "It's the Snow Queen. She turned Hook into a kid."

Belle frowned, and even though Emma hadn't wanted to see Gold's expression, she couldn't help glancing at him. What she saw though surprised her. She had expected him to be practically gleeful or at least amused, a smirk on his face. Instead, he raised his head giving her his full attention, the rag he'd been polishing with sitting motionless on the counter.

"Did he retain his memories?" Gold asked.

Emma shook her head. "He kept asking for Liam, and he can't be more than eight. _Maybe_ ten years old."

"And how did this happen exactly?"

Elsa stepped up then, moving so she was standing shoulder to shoulder with Emma. "I was with him when it happened, but the Snow Queen knocked me out. She clearly didn't want anyone to interfere."

"So can you do it? Can you return Hook to his rightful age?" Emma asked Gold.

"Aging someone with magic is quite simple. It's doing it and getting their memories to return that's complicated."

"But can you do it?" Emma pressed. She wasn't looking for explanations. All she wanted was a straight answer.

"Maybe if I knew how," Gold replied. "As the Dark One, it wasn't something I concerned myself with."

Emma's face fell, and she knew without looking that Elsa was frowning at her, no doubt wanting to take a page from her mother's book and give her a hope speech. Something she wasn't at all interested in. Not false hope anyway.

"We'll look into it though," Belle said quickly. "There are so many old texts. I'm sure there's bound to be something in one of them that can help."

Emma took a breath, trying to center herself and push away all the emotions that threatened to spill over. She looked Belle in the eyes. "Thank you," she said sincerely. She still wasn't sure Gold was willing to help, but she trusted that Belle would talk him into it if necessary. "Call me if you find anything."

Belle promised she would, and Emma walked out of the store. She wanted to be optimistic, but her hope had been that this would be an easy fix and she'd have Killian back to normal before the day was over. But of course this being Storybrooke, that wasn't the case. She didn't know how long Killian would be stuck as a child, but she knew the sooner they could return him to the adult he was, the better.

The Snow Queen had tried disposing of him before, and being a young boy with no knowledge of what he was up against just put him in even more danger.

* * *

Mary Margaret was sitting at the kitchen table, her plate of mostly eaten sandwich and chips in front of her. She and David had sat down to eat lunch, taking advantage of Neal napping to eat a quick meal. The urge to talk about what to do with Hook - _Killian_ \- had been strong, but they had both recognized it was pointless until Emma returned and told them what she'd found out. It was possible the Snow Queen's curse could indeed be reversed before the day was over.

Though, they both knew there was a good chance it could last for a minimum of a couple days. Worst case scenario, it would last much longer. Mary Margaret refused to think it could be something that would last forever because doing so would be giving up hope that they'd figure out a way to return things to how they ought to be - Killian to his proper age and their daughter happy once more.

From where Mary Margaret was sitting, she could see the couch clearly. Killian was still buried under numerous blankets, the small boy's body nearly swallowed by the many layers. Only his head was visible, and even in spite of being several feet away, she was able to make out the furrowed brow and deep frown on his face. Signs that he clearly wasn't having a restful sleep.

"That poor thing," she murmured.

David turned his head so as to look over his shoulder at Killian on the couch. As he turned back to her, he nodded. "I still can't get over seeing him as a child."

"Everyone has a childhood," she said.

"I know, but his was quite a long time ago. And it's hard to imagine him becoming the pirate he is considering how shy and soft spoken he is."

Mary Margaret studied Killian. She understood where her husband was coming from. Before today she probably would've assumed the same thing - that Hook had been a wild, rowdy boy who likely jumped into trouble without a second thought. Seeing him now though and the needy way he'd reached out for Emma asking her to stay with him…it was clear he'd been through more than any child should.

"Maybe that's who he is behind the pirate persona," she said quietly. She met David's curious glance. "We don't really know much about him, but he's obvious gone through some kind of trauma. I imagine the older he got and the more heartache he experienced, the more he felt the need to protect himself. Like Emma did with the walls she put around her heart."

The look on David's face told Mary Margaret that he got it, and she was beginning to see herself that Hook and Emma had more in common than she'd initially thought. She'd always kind of thought it was an opposites attract situation, and even though Hook had only been a kid for a couple hours so far, it wasn't hard to recognize there was much more to him than she'd ever expected.

Since Mary Margaret was watching him, it wasn't hard to miss the way the expression on Killian's face transformed into one of terror. Her heart ached at seeing the amount of pain displayed on the little boy's face, and she was already getting to her feet when he started whimpering in his sleep. It was a sound that struck her to her very core.

Across the loft, Neal also began to fuss and she knew it was only a matter of seconds before he would start to cry. She looked across the table at David and told him, "You get Neal, and I'll take care of Killian."

He looked at her in surprise. "Are you sure?"

She gave him a firm nod and, just as she'd predicted, Neal began to cry from his crib. It wasn't the loud wailing cry, but she knew he would quickly work his way up to it if his needs weren't tended to fast enough. Something David was all too aware of as well, and with a couple of quick steps, he was across the loft gathering their son into his arms.

Mary Margaret quickly moved to Killian's side. She wanted to gently rouse him from his nightmare before Neal's crying could jar him awake. Though, a brief glance across the loft at her husband proved he had it more than under control.

Now that Mary Margaret was right next to Killian, she could hear his quiet mumblings. "Liam, no," he was saying. "Please."

She put a hand to her heart, feeling like it was breaking just listening to him. His voice was full of pain as he pleaded with whoever was torturing him in the nightmare. It was a terrible sound – one that no child should ever have to make.

Without her even thinking about it, her hand went to the boy's hair and she ran her fingers through it. She'd watched Emma do it earlier and had noted the calming effect it'd had on him. Hopefully it would again because she wanted to bring Killian out of the nightmare as gently as possible so as not to add to his fear.

"Killian," she started, speaking softly, "it's okay. You're safe here."

She had no idea what he was dreaming about, but she hoped her words offered him some kind of reassurance that whatever he was seeing was just a nightmare. He still whimpered and moved about beneath her hand, but she continued the soft caress through his hair as she murmured words of comfort.

It took several seconds, but her touch and words did bring him out of the nightmare. His body jerked and his eyes flew open, even in spite of her attempts at reassuring him. And if she'd thought hearing him cry in his sleep was heartbreaking, she was sure it broke completely when he choked out a single word.

"Momma?"

For a brief moment, Killian looked confused and as she watched him, Mary Margaret could tell the moment he realized she wasn't his mother. His blue eyes filled with pain, and he pulled himself up, moving out from underneath her hand. She pulled her hand back, but she remained sitting on the couch. He may be uncomfortable with her touching him now that he realized she was a stranger, but she wasn't going to leave him to deal with his nightmare alone.

"Sorry," he apologized, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You have absolutely nothing to apologize for," she told him.

Killian said nothing, and he didn't even so much as look at her. He pulled his knees to his chest, the several layers of blankets falling away from his body and pooling at his feet. His body shivered once, and Mary Margaret wasn't sure if it was from a chill caused by lack of warmth the blankets had provided, or if it was due to lingering thoughts of the nightmare he'd just experienced.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.

Again, Killian didn't say anything. Behind her, Mary Margaret could hear David heating up a bottle for Neal as her baby cooed. She didn't take her eyes off Killian though, knowing that her son was in very capable hands. Even though she didn't know Killian well, she wanted him to understand that she was there if he wanted to talk.

Finally, after a long minute of silence, Killian spoke. "Liam is dead." He lifted his head and looked Mary Margaret in the eyes with a challenge that dared her to lie to him. "Isn't he?"

She was taken aback by the question…or rather, the certainty with what he'd said. David had told her that Killian had asked for Liam almost immediately, but she hadn't thought he would go to thinking his brother was dead on his own and so quickly. If she had to guess, it was likely a byproduct of the nightmare he'd had, and it just made her all the more sympathetic to the man-turned-boy sitting in front of her.

"I'm afraid so," she said at last. As much as it broke her heart to tell him, she knew she couldn't lie to him. To do so would be to ruin any chance of him trusting her – or any of them.

Killian nodded, like that was exactly the answer he'd expected. His eyes still filled with tears though, and he looked away from her as he swiped at them using the sleeve of his shirt. Mary Margaret had the urge to reach out and pull him into a hug, but she forced herself to remain still, knowing that Killian wouldn't react well to her trying to comfort him. Not right then anyway.

"How?" Killian started, but it came out barely above a whisper. He cleared his throat and tried again. "How did it happen?"

Killian looked at her, his sad, blue eyes staring at her as he waited for her answer. Something she didn't have. She glanced over her shoulder looking for her husband, and she quickly located him. He was sitting on the end of their bed, Neal tucked in the crook of one arm while the other held the bottle steady. As if David could sense her gaze, he looked up and shook his head. She wasn't sure if it meant he didn't know the story either, or if it was an awful idea to tell Killian.

"I don't know," Mary Margaret said, turning her head back so she was looking at Killian once more.

At first she couldn't tell if he believed her or not, and in the end she still wasn't sure. Because instead of pressing her further, Killian said, "It was my fault, wasn't it?"

The words were full of emotion, but there wasn't any doubt in them.

"Killian, no. I don't know what happened to your brother, but I'm positive you had nothing to do with his death."

"Liam always said I'd be the death of him," Killian said. She wasn't even sure if he'd heard her. He seemed to be talking to himself, like he'd forgotten she was sitting there. "I get into trouble a lot, and Liam's always taking the blame. Even when neither of us have done anything wrong. And now he's…"

Killian couldn't bring himself to say the word again, and tears ran down his cheeks in rivers. Again, Mary Margaret could feel her heart breaking. Yes, the little boy in front of her was technically a pirate who had recently started dating her daughter and he'd experienced all of this pain years ago, but in this moment, Killian had no memory of those things. For him, he was in a strange land with people he didn't know only to find out his brother had died. It was hard not to be moved by the emotion and pain in the boy's expression.

Unable to stop herself any longer, Mary Margaret reached for him, fully intending on hugging him as a way to offer at least some kind of comfort. Her fingers barely touched his shoulder, and he jerked away, backing himself further into the couch cushions. Tears were still flowing freely, and he looked at her warily as he scrubbed hastily at his face in clear attempt to regain control over his emotions.

"Killian…" she started, but her voice trailed off as she found herself unsure how to continue. She couldn't tell him it was okay because it would be a lie, but she wanted to say something that would comfort him at least a little.

As she struggled for something to say, David spoke. "Killian," he said. Killian instantly looked up at him, and Mary Margaret looked over at her husband who was now standing near the kitchen sink with Neal still in his arms and an empty bottle on the counter. "Whatever happened to your brother didn't happen until you were both adults. When you were both in the Royal Navy."

"Really?" Killian asked in a small voice, but Mary Margaret could hear the small bit of relief in the single word spoken. The pain was still present – that much was clear – but knowing that Liam at least made it to adulthood before his untimely death seemed to absolve at least some guilt for the young boy.

David nodded once. "Yes. You told me yourself."

Killian was silent for a moment, seeming to let this sink in. Then he looked back at David, his gaze now curious. Though, Mary Margaret could see the pain lurking beneath, and she realized the expression the boy was wearing wasn't too different than similar ones she'd seen on his older self. It made her wonder how she hadn't caught it before, but the answer came to her immediately. She hadn't bothered to see beyond the cocky exterior.

"What else did I tell you?"

Mary Margaret looked at her husband. She was aware that things had likely been said between him and Hook back in Neverland that he hadn't shared with her. Though, she couldn't imagine much had been said given that back then Hook had been aloof around them, providing assistance where he could but not saying much else beyond that. And now, Killian was clearly fishing for more information.

"Not much," David said. "We don't really know each other all that well."

Even though Mary Margaret knew David was telling the truth, she expected that Killian would push back and accuse him of lying. So she was surprised when he was quiet, his eyes fixed on his hands. He looked so pensive and much too serious for such a young child.

"But you're holding something back," Killian said at last, lifting his head. His voice wasn't accusatory, but rather matter-of-fact. Neither Mary Margaret or David could deny it because while they truly didn't know him that well, there was obviously a lot they weren't saying to protect him. He didn't seem to need to the confirmation though because he moved straight onto his next question. "What about Emma or Elsa? Would they know?"

"Elsa wouldn't because she's pretty new to town," Mary Margaret said. "You and her only just met recently."

"But Emma would."

It wasn't a question anymore. Killian had heard what she didn't say, and even though he didn't remember Emma, he was able to recognize she was likely the one who knew the most about him.

"I don't think you should ask her questions about Liam or who you are," Mary Margaret said.

Confused blue eyes looked at her. "Why not? If what you said about that woman making me younger is true, then knowing about my life wouldn't change anything."

"But it won't help anything either," David pointed out. "Besides, that was just a theory. For all we know, the Snow Queen could've made you switch places with the adult version of yourself. He could be stuck back in the time you came from."

Killian shot him a doubtful look, his lips pulled in a deep frown. Mary Margaret worried that they were overwhelming him – talking too freely about the situation and surely making him worry about the Snow Queen. It didn't matter he was really a pirate who had lived for centuries. Right now he was a little boy – one who needed their protection – and her maternal instincts were telling her that giving him too much information about the kind of man he'd been would be detrimental.

She glanced to the clock, wondering not for the first time when Emma would return because it seemed she might be able to get through to Killian in a way they hadn't. But as she registered the time, she sat up and turned her attention back to David who was rocking Neal in his arms.

"David," she waited until he looked at her, "it's almost time to get Henry."

David nodded, and he quickly but quietly moved to the bedroom area of the loft where Neal's crib had been setup. He carefully placed the infant inside before straightening. On the couch beside Mary Margaret, Killian sat up straighter, his blue eyes alight with interest.

"Can I come too?"

David froze in his tracks, and Mary Margaret's breath caught in her throat. They looked at each other, their eyes saying what their mouths could not. David couldn't bring Killian with him because he needed time to warn Henry what he would be walking into when he returned to the loft, and he didn't want to risk his safety should the Snow Queen somehow make another appearance.

"How about I make you some lunch instead?" Mary Margaret suggested. "You must be starving."

"A little I guess." Killian then rushed on to try to persuade her it wasn't a big deal. "But I can just wait for the next meal. You don't need to prepare anything special just for me."

Was there anything he could say that wouldn't cause her heart to ache? It seemed like nearly every word out of the boy's mouth offered some sad insight into what his life had been like – one that had been much too short to have experienced as much as he'd had.

"I don't know how special a sandwich and soup is, but I promise it's no trouble," she reassured.

Killian didn't look convinced, but he nodded. Though, he added, "I can help cleanup after to repay you for your kindness."

Mary Margaret found her gaze straying to her husband once more, sharing a surprised expression. It wasn't that she thought Killian was rude because of course he'd offered assistance in a number of menial tasks, but at the time, she'd thought it was partly in attempt to get on their good side since they were Emma's parents. Apparently though, that wasn't the case, and given young Killian's behavior so far, she was certain it'd come about from more than good manners.

"That's not necessary," she said at last, returning her gaze to Killian. But when Killian frowned, seeming unhappy with her answer, she quickly struck what she thought would be a good compromise. "Why don't we wait until after you eat and determine what you can help with then, alright?"

Killian didn't argue this time, and Mary Margaret took that as acceptance. She got to her feet, moving towards the kitchen to make another sandwich and heat up a can of soup. She only paused to give David a quick kiss before watching him go out the door to pick up Henry.

As the door closed behind him, she couldn't help but think of Emma and wonder how she was holding up.

* * *

Emma sat on a bench, looking out at Storybrooke Harbor. She had come down to the docks to try to clear her head, to get a hold of the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. The very same emotions that had made her snap at Elsa and demand that she leave her alone for a while. She didn't care that her parents or anyone else wanted her to avoid being alone in case the Snow Queen made another appearance; she needed some time to herself to pull herself together. The last thing they needed was her powers playing off her emotions and making a bigger mess of things.

Normally the water had a calming affect on her, and she often gravitated towards it when she needed to think or just release herself of her worries, if only for a few moments. But today all it was doing was reminding her of what she stood to lose. Or rather, _who_.

Killian had become important to her in a short amount of time. It was hard to think back to when they'd first met and reconcile it with how they were now. Even when he'd found her in New York and had brought her back to Storybrooke, she'd thought of him as a friend – as someone she could maybe get close to – but she hadn't allowed herself to truly give into the feelings she had for him. Something that had changed after their trip to the past, and later discovering that he'd given up his home in order to bring her back to hers.

After that night, Emma had almost expected things to escalate rather quickly now that she'd finally let him in. Instead, he'd continued to let her set the pace of their relationship. Despite kissing on Granny's patio and a couple of dates, they hadn't been intimate with each other. He was being the perfect gentleman, putting her needs before his own. Just like he always did.

"Damn it, Killian," she mumbled to herself, falling back against the bench. "You're an idiot."

Her dad may have been the one to suggest splitting up, but Killian hadn't needed to agree with him. Maybe if he hadn't, things would've turned out differently. She would've been with him instead of Elsa, and maybe she could've somehow stopped the Snow Queen from inflicting him with her spell. Then again, given her inexperience with magic, it likely would've happened anyway.

"I'm not sure he would agree with you."

Emma didn't so much as move at the sound of Elsa's voice. She'd suspected Elsa had given her enough distance to allow for some privacy while keeping her in eyeshot. Knowing that she had a friend that cared that much about her safety warmed her heart, but it was also quite frustrating…and scary. The more people she cared about, the bigger chance there was of something happening and her getting hurt.

Elsa came around the bench so she could sit next to Emma. She continued, "I'm sure he would do it again without question."

"That's the problem," Emma replied. "I don't need protecting. I told him I couldn't lose him and yet…"

Okay, maybe she hadn't lost him in the traditional sense given that he was still alive, but she'd lost everything that made him hers. Killian was a child who had no memory of her. All of their history – all of _his_ history – was gone. He was alive, yes, but it wasn't the same. And even worse than seeing him as a heartbroken, little boy was that he was even more vulnerable than he'd been as her…well, as her pirate.

"You've only lost him if you give up," Elsa said.

"I'm not giving up." And she wasn't. Killian never gave up on her, and the least she could do was return the favor. "I just…I don't know how I'm supposed to fix this."

Elsa leaned forward so she could look Emma in the eye. "With help," she said simply. "You don't have to go through this alone, Emma."

"Yeah, I know," Emma said, thinking of her parents and Henry. Then she thought of Belle doing research, knowing Gold or Regina likely wouldn't be able to do anything to counteract the spell until they got some answers. "But what if it takes Belle days to figure out what happened to him? Or weeks? Hook might not have that kind of time."

Her mind went crazy with the possibilities. What if the spell that had de-aged Killian wasn't a one time thing? What if it would continue to slowly make him younger and younger until he faded out of existence? Or the longer the spell remained in effect, the harder it would be to remove until it became permanent? The thought of never getting her Killian back made her heart ache in a way that still managed to surprise her, despite her feelings growing stronger for him every day.

The worst part was imagining the Snow Queen attacking them and targeting Killian, hitting him with a spell that would finally kill him. It'd been terrifying when she'd thought he was going to die at the Snow Queen's hand last time, but the fact that he was now a defenseless kid would make it ten times worse.

Emma felt her pulse quicken in fear at the thought even as anger had her muscles clenching tightly. Her blood pounded in her ears, and it was so loud she could barely hear Elsa saying her name. All she could do was picture the Snow Queen luring them into a trap and Emma being forced to watch Killian die, unable to save him. Killian with fear written all over his childish face who didn't know what was going on or who she even was to him. The image threatened to overtake her and might have if it wasn't for Elsa shouting her name.

"Emma!" she said, kneeling so her face was in front of her.

It startled Emma out of the image her mind had concocted, and she heard a loud pop as the lamp from a nearby streetlight exploded. She realized then the pounding in her ears hadn't just been from her anger but from the magic humming under her skin. Even now she could still feel it, and she forced herself to take a deep breath, doing her best to push it down and regain control once more.

"Are you okay?" Elsa asked, realizing she had gotten her attention.

Before Emma could offer up any kind of response, there was a loud "Mom!" and hurried footsteps. Hearing Henry's voice made Emma jump to her feet, and she turned to find that her dad was there as well.

"What are you guys doing here?" Emma asked, narrowing her eyes slightly at her dad. It'd gone unspoken that when she'd asked him to meet Henry as school let out that they would go straight back to the loft given they didn't want to risk the Snow Queen doing anything.

David gave a little sigh. "Emma, I-"

"Grandpa told me what happened, and I want to help," Henry said, cutting David off. He looked at Emma with a stubbornness she knew he got from her. It wasn't easy to sway him away from something when he got like that, but she couldn't have him involved in this. She would die before she'd let something happen to him.

"This isn't something you can help with, kid."

"Except that I can," Henry argued. "I know where Regina is, and I can bring her back to the loft."

Emma desperately wanted to fight with Henry and tell him to stay out of this, that it was more important to her that he stay out of danger. But truth be told, she and Regina were on shaky ground. Henry was the perfect person to act as a buffer between them, even as she hated putting him in that position. However, that didn't mean she was going to let him go off on his own.

"Not alone," she replied. "David is going with you."

Henry had no argument. If anything, he looked satisfied that she wasn't turning down his offer to help anymore. Her father, on the other hand, did have a question of his own.

"What are you going to do?"

Emma hesitated. She honestly wasn't sure what to do at this point. Not enough time had really passed for her to check in with Belle and Gold, but she couldn't do nothing either. It was just hard to imagine what else she could explore, delaying her return to the loft for at least a little longer. Then, it hit her.

"I'm going to talk to Blue, and see if she has any ideas," Emma said. "I'll meet you back at the loft."

David stared at her for a moment before he nodded. Elsa stepped closer to Emma, and she knew without looking at the other blonde that she planned on accompanying Emma to see Blue. It took real control to withhold the annoyed sigh she wanted to release, but she understood that Elsa's intention wasn't to annoy her with the constant shadowing but rather provide support.

Emma was grateful that she had so many people to count on, but she couldn't help missing the support that a certain pirate had always given her. She'd gotten use to having him around and offering her support – often without even saying a word. It was something she didn't want to live without, and she hoped she would never have to.


End file.
